Ref: 41/2012

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights’ (PCHR)
Democratic
Development Unit (DDU) organized three new panel discussions in the
context of promoting awareness on human rights and democracy issues in the
Palestinian society, in cooperation with local organizations in the Gaza Strip.

On Wednesday, 09 May 2012, the DDU organized a
panel discussion on “The Right to the Freedom of Opinion and Expression
under the Palestinian National Authority,” in cooperation with the
Association of University Graduates in Gaza City.  The panel discussion was attended by 24
participants from the Associations.

Earlier, the DDU organized a panel discussion
on Monday, 07 May 2012, in the head office of al-Wifaq Society for the Care of
Women and Children in Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip with 15 persons in
attendance.

On Sunday, 06 May 2012, the DDU organized a
panel discussion on “Democracy and Political Participation in the
Palestinian Society,” in cooperation with the Association of University
Graduates in Gaza City.  The panel
discussion was attended by 27 participants from the Associations.

It should be noted that Mohammed Abu Hashem, a
human rights activist, presented three working papers on the said topics in the
three panel discussions.

These meetings are part of a 3-year project
funded by the European Union and and sponsored by Oxfam Novib, whose goal is to
improve awareness and respect of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian
Territory.  Such meetings are part of
persistent efforts made by PCHR to promote democratic awareness in the
Palestinian community under the lack of the Palestinians’ confidence in the
democratic process due to the political split and its consequences.